Heat Treats Fibro Pain
Intuitively, heat is soothing for sore muscles, it helps them relax. But can the application of heat realistically treat fibromyalgia pain? After all, you don’t just have achy muscles, your central nervous system plays a major role in making you hurt all over. Yet, a study involving chronic low back pain patients indicates heat wrap therapy can tone down nervous system generated pain. It can even help with sleep.
Researchers used brain electroencephalogram (EEG) activity as an objective measure of the number of pain signals bombarding the brain.1 The investigators sought to determine if the number of signals entering the nervous system declined after applying heat to the low back.
This study is relevant to people with fibromyalgia because the central nervous system amplifies all inputs from the muscles. In addition, it redistributes these revved up signals to other body regions to make you hurt everywhere. So, if heat treats central nervous system type pain, this nondrug therapy should benefit fibromyalgia patients.
Heat Wrap Treatments
Back pain patients were divided into two treatment groups. The control group was given ibuprofen (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug or NSAID) to take as needed for pain. The treatment group received four heat wraps, one to be worn each day for up to eight hours during the next four days. In addition, this group also received the NSAID to take as needed for pain. Subjects also completed symptom questionnaires each day.
All participants received brain EEG assessments on day one and day four to measure the impact of heat wrap therapy. Brain signals at the high frequency represent alerting and stressful stimuli. It’s an objective measure of the amount of pain a person is experiencing. A drop in this value indicates that fewer signals are entering a person’s central nervous system to cause pain.
The brain EEG signals dropped significantly for the heat wrap group. In fact, this objective reduction in pain occurred mostly during the first two days. Compared to the control group, the authors state, “the heat wrap therapy was more effective in reducing pain, decreasing stress at work, and increasing quality of sleep.”
What About Fibro?
Unlike low back pain patients, you hurt all over. However, research shows your most bothersome area can be the driving factor for determining your overall pain level.2 This means applying heat to treat your sorest area will “feel good” and reduce your generalized fibromyalgia pain. And, if the widespread pain is keeping you awake at night, take a hot bath or shower just before bedtime.
If you are wondering how heat placed on your skin’s surface treats fibromyalgia pain, there are several mechanisms.
- Your skin has temperature-sensitive nerve endings. The heat activates them and it blocks the pain signals traveling to your central nervous system.3 This is likely why the brain EEG signals decreased in the heat wrap study.
- Heat works as a regional (but mild) muscle relaxant, which reduces stiffness and muscle cramping pain. It also reduces pain and tightness caused by trigger points (e.g., those painful knots in your muscles). 4
- Heat increases blood flow, along with delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and tendons. It also flushes out chemical irritants that may be present in the nearby tissues.
Although heat treats fibromyalgia pain with virtually no side effects, there are a few contraindications. People with diabetes are generally more heat sensitive and need to be careful not to burn their skin. Moreover, heat is not a good therapy for inflamed joints, people with multiple sclerosis, or for use over irritated skin. On the upside, heat is generally a safe therapy to treat fibromyalgia pain in children and teens.
References for Heat Treats Fibro Pain
- Kettermann B, et al. Clin J Pain 23(8):663-8, 2007. Abstract
- Staud R, et al. Rheumatology 45(11):1409-15, 2006. Free Report
- Rodriguez-Maruri G, et al. Ann Transl Med 12(5):84, 2024. Free Report
- Ventriglia G, et al. J Pain Res 17:4075-4084, 2024. Free Report